A Democratic Socialist Blog

LU Solutions: New Unionism

I keep seeing MEMEs against using automation because they take jobs away from workers. Time to break the news, there is no stopping progress. The Unions need to plug in to a Social Economy and help workers stimulate the Economy. They must transform.
They can become self help cred Unions. They are a family of member-owned, mission-driven credit unions, a nonprofit loan fund, and a policy advocacy organization. We work every day to expand ownership and economic opportunities for all. The mission is large, but we believe that much of it is accomplished by small acts: a member’s first bank account. A loan for a small business. Helping families buy their first car or first home or reduce high-cost debt.
Unions can become a Federal SH Credit Union, and yet do more. Union members around the country would have increasing ownership, creating jobs, revitalizing neighborhoods and building stronger communities. The Living Universal Income would help secure a future for such loans and economic stimulation replacing the To Big to Fail Banks.
Small business owners and nonprofits come in all shapes and sizes, often with unconventional business models. Examples of our borrowers include cooperatives, solar and biofuel providers, green businesses, churches and social service organizations. A good percent can go to worker owned and start up enterprises at forgivable failures. Asian Indians get loans at 3%, do not have to pay on time, and are forgivable. This can be done by Unions.

Unions can increase membership AND give a unified voice for all people by advocating for legislation and regulations that keep us safer, healthier, and enjoying a higher quality of life. Many union members are politically engaged. We advocate for the public servants who will best serve the interests of working people at all levels of government. They can help re-writing the rules of the economy, so they benefit the 99% instead of the wealthy few.

We also advocate for an expansion of Community rights. We need to make participatory democracy easier and stop the laws that keep all people from accessing their human rights.

Freelancers Union is a non-profit organization in the United States of America. The organization provides advocacy and health insurance to its members through its for-profit Freelancers Insurance Company. The union promotes information through monthly meetings and information on its website.
Membership in Freelancers Union is more than 300,000 nationwide. This segment of workers makes up one-third of the American workforce. Freelancers Union has created a portable benefits delivery system, linking benefits to individuals rather than to employers, so independent workers can maintain benefits as they move from job to job and project to project.

The organization also tries to increase the visibility of independent workers, bringing issues that concern freelancers to the attention of media and policy makers.
A freelancer or freelance worker is a term commonly used for a person who is self-employed and is not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance workers are sometimes represented by a company or a temporary agency that resells freelance labor to clients; others work independently or use professional associations or websites to get work.

While the term “independent contractor” would be used in a higher register of English to designate the tax and employment classes of this type of worker, the term freelancing is most common in culture and creative industries and this term specifically motions to participation therein.

Fields, professions and industries where freelancing is predominant include music, writing, acting, computer programming, web design, translating and illustrating, and other forms of piece work which some cultural theorists consider as central to the cognitive-cultural economy.

The Living Universal Income Plays beautifully in this. Because the Income is guaranteed and unconditional. And lull time between jobs means no income. The LUBI/Living Universal Basic Income guarantees between unoccupied time, that people could continue in their field.

George is a Union sprinkle fitter. In his time off, which can last for months. In his free time he make Tiffany Lamps. The Tiffany Lamps sell, but his low income between gigs means he must accept jobs elsewhere an fly to places he does not want to go. He cannot say no. But there are other Sprinkler Fitters available and need work. In times where George does nor want to move from New Jersey to Nebraska, the LUBI can save him and other workers from being forced to take jobs they don’t want and stimulate their economy with out worry.